Transport vessel.



PATEN TED JULY 16, 1907.

g 0. MEHRTEN S. TRAysPoRT VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1906.

III!- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO MEHRTENS, OF KIEL, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPPAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT,

GERMANIAWERFT, OF KIEL-GAARDEN,

GERMANY.

TRANSPORT VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed July 81, 1906. Serial No- 328,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO Mnnn'rnns, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,and a resident of Kiel, Schwanenweg 29, Germany, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Transport Vessels, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to transport vessels.

It more particularly relates to those transport vessels, which, inaddition to the usual bottom reservoirs for water ballast, are providedwith special water ballast reservoirs located at a higher elevation. Inthe transport vessel according to the present invention, both thefilling and the emptying of the upper reservoirs can be effected withoutspecial consumption of labor, that is to say, without the use of pumpsor the like. v

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, a transport vesselhaving the water ballast reservoirs arranged within a double bottomwhich extends up to the deck.

Figures 1. to 5, are diagrammatic views showing the same cross-sectionthrough one of the holds of the vesscl but with different fillingrelations of the hold and of the water-ballast reservoirs.

The double bottom of the vessel is formed by the walls A and B, andlongitudinal walls 0 c and d d divide the space between the walls A andB into compartments C and D which are adapted to receive water ballast.The water ballast reservoirs G can be' filled in the usual manner byopening a valve (not shown) in the bottom and they can be emptied bymeans of pumps (not shown). In the outer walls pf the lateral reservoirsD and near the bottom walls d openings (1 are provided (Fig. 3), whichcan be tightly closed from the deck by means of'flaps F or the like toprevent water from passing through the openings. The top Walls d of thelateral compartments D are lo cated in line with the loaded draft-line Lof the vessel, that is to say, they are located at the place to whichthe vessel is immersed when loaded (see Fig. 1). The bottom walls d arelocated in line with the light draft-line L of the vessel, that is tosay, they are located at the place to which the vessel is immersed (Fig.5) when it is without cargo and without water ballast. The ship floatson the water line L (Fig. 4) when it is in ballast. G indicates thecargo of the vessel.

The filling oi the lateral reservoirs D is effected in connection withthe unloading of the cargo G. In the description of the proceeding,which takes place, it is assumed that the vessel is completelyloaded,that is to say, it floats on the loaded draft-line L (Fig. 1). Theballast spaces 0 and D are empty and closed to- 'shown in Fig. 2.

wards the exterior water. Now in order to provide for an automaticfilling oi the lateral reservoirs D and at the same time avoid thedanger of the vessel be coming immersed below the loaded draft-line, onefirst unloads as much of the cargo as corresponds to the weight of thewater ballast that the lateral reservoirs are capable of holding. Duringthis proceeding, the vessel rises and finally assumes about the positionIf the closures or flaps F are now opened, the lateral reservoirs Dbecome completely filled and the vessel floats once more on the loadeddraft-line L (Fig. 3), whereupon the flaps F are closed. The filling ofthe bottom reservoir C can be effected by opening the bottom valve afterfurther unloading of at least as much of the remaining cargo G ascorresponds to the weight of the water ballast to be placed in thebottom reservoirs C. After the bottomrescrvoirs have been filled and theunloading of the cargo has been completed, the vessel floats on thewater line L (Fig. 4).

When it is desired to empty the water ballast reservoirs C and D priorto the renewed loading of the vessel, the flaps F otthe lateralreservoirs D are opened and the water is pumped out of the bottomreservoir 0, and the lateral reservoirs D will then automatically runempty. The vessel now floats on the light draftline L (Fig.5) and can beloaded afresh.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a transport vessel, a ballast reservoir of a height approximately,equal tothe distance between the load and the light draftline, andhaving an opening at its bottom to permit the natprnl flow,to and fromthe reservoir, and means for closing the opening.

2. In a transport vessel, a ballast reservoir, the upper wall of whichits approximately in alinement withthe load draft line, and the lowerwall of which is approxi mately inalincment with the light draft 'line,said reservoir being provided with an opening at its lower end and aclosure for said opening.

3. In a transport vessel, lateral ballast reservoirs for the vessel, theupper walls of which are approximately in alinernent with the load draftline and the bottom walls of which are in alinement with the light draftline, said reservoirs being provided with openings at their lower ends,and closures for said openings.

4. In a transport vessel, lateral ballast reservoirs for the vessel, theupper walls of which are approximately in alinement with the load draftline and the bottom walls of which are in alinement with the light draftline, said reservoirs being provided with openings at their lower ends,closures for said openings, and bottom ballast chambers.

The foregoing; specification signed at IIiel, Germany. this 20th day ofJune, 1906. OTTO MEI-IRTENS.

In presence of HUGO LIEBEL'I, OTTo Lav.

